Chapter 422: The Chaotic Daily Life of Leilan Academy. (End)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 422: The Chaotic Daily Life of Leilan Academy. (End)
I was currently in the infirmary.
Even though I had Sun Wukong’s guarantee, I still wanted to get a medical checkup just in case.
To be honest, I had debated whether it was even okay to tell the Doctor about this, but in the end, I concluded that it was better to be safe than sorry.
“It certainly is an interesting phenomenon.”
When she first heard my story, the Doctor looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask if her nephew had eaten something spoiled. However, by the time the final blood test was completed, she was staring at the results screen with intense curiosity.
“It’s not unusual for mana to be detected in bodily fluids like blood or saliva, but I’ve never seen a wavelength in this format before. Mana that only reacts to a specific target.”
“…I think it reacts to people I have affection for and trust.”
“I agree. Still, the idea of strengthening a partner through sexual intercourse is a setting straight out of some lewd manga.”
Sipping her coffee, the Doctor nonchalantly let a few drops of my drawn blood fall onto her own skin.
“The mana dissipates when it comes into contact with someone for whom there is no significant affection, like this.”
Her habit of testing things on herself without hesitation was very typical of her, but…
“So, will this be a problem?”
“…Hmm, I’m not sure if I should call this a ‘problem.’ From my perspective, it isn’t, but I don’t know how the person involved might feel about it.”
Huh? Sun Wukong said it would be fine. Is there actually something wrong?
“No, there’s no need to make that face. It’s just that the power residing in your bodily fluids is also an excess of life force that precedes mana. If refined properly, it might even be usable as a potion. The first problem is that there might be factions that try to get close to you if they find out about this.”
…That doesn’t sound too bad. If the effects are good after some testing, should I open an alchemy lab?
“Next is something different from what you’re worried about. It’s not about the people you have relationships with, but a change starting to occur in your own body. Parts of your bodily fluids and skin tissue have transformed into ‘something not human.’”
“Ah, I had a rough idea about that.”
“…Aren’t you being a bit too calm?”
“I almost stopped being human entirely. I’m just glad it stopped at only a partial transformation.”
Looking exasperated, the Doctor reached for a cigarette but put it back after spotting Luna playing nearby.
“I know I’m a source of stress for you, but it’s not like before where I’m just saying ‘I’m really okay’ to be polite…”
“…I know. It’s because of someone else, not you, so don’t worry.”
…There’s only me and Luna here, so what is she talking about?
Even when I tried to look into her heart, for some reason, it felt like there was a blank space in her thoughts. I couldn’t see anything regarding the person who was causing her stress.
“…Anyway, this body tissue doesn’t seem to be spreading right now, but if you release those ‘seals’ and use excessive power, the non-human proportion will likely increase.”
“Well, I figured as much. But honestly, there aren’t many opponents who would require me to release even the 2nd seal.”
Maybe if the disasters Seo-ha is keeping were to go all out as if their leashes were cut, I might need it.
“And this is the last thing.”
“Yes.”
“Your sperm motility is beyond active—it’s almost creepy. To the point where if you have relations during a fertile period… you know, on a dangerous day, pregnancy is almost a certainty.”
…Wait, isn’t that just being healthy?
I expected something like this might come up during the exam, and I thought it would just be a bit embarrassing rather than a problem. However, the movement I saw in the video the Doctor showed me was definitely a bit bizarre.
…Do they have motors attached? Why are they moving so creepily?
“With that level of activity, they’d reach the egg in half the time it usually takes… no, a quarter? Maybe even faster. And while they usually die off inside the female vaginal canal, these seem to survive even when mixed with other liquids, so that won’t be happening.”
Uh, um. I see. So not a single piece of common sense from health class applies here?
“It depends on how you feel, but if you aren’t thorough with contraception, it could be dangerous… Ugh.”
The Doctor winced for a moment as if someone had just screamed in her ear, then continued with a slightly annoyed expression.
“Whew. If you intend to take responsibility, that’s one thing, but if not, don’t go causing accidents irresponsibly. I’ve stocked condoms by the entrance, so take as many as you need.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
I might be a piece of trash, but I don’t plan on causing accidents irresponsibly. The Doctor sure worries about the strangest things.
“…Wait a second.”
“Yes?”
“Your expression just now seemed a bit strange…? Didn’t you just smile like someone I know?”
“Did I?”
“…Maybe not? You look the same as usual.”
“Well, anyway, if that’s all, I’ll be going now.”
“Right.”
I’ve already come this far; of course I have to take responsibility.
In the future, the Doctor would lament that if she had realized he was smiling with the exact same face as his mother from an angle she couldn’t see, there might have been a slightly different future.
But that was a story for the distant future.
* * *
It seems humans really are creatures of habit.
No matter what new madness or incident breaks out, we seem to adapt after about a week.
That’s right.
I had eventually adapted to everything: the barrage of gifts from crazy people, the fluctuating stock prices of Cheonhwa and Yuseong that had the whole country in an uproar, and even the sight of Masked Riders occasionally flying through the sky while cheerleaders hired by Cheonhwa Group fought battles in the Academy square.
“…Did I unknowingly start doing drugs?”
“I understand how you feel, but even if you did drugs, you’d detoxify immediately.”
Right? It’s a cruel world where I can’t even escape reality.
Ga-eul patted my shoulder from beside me.
“There, there. Eat this and cheer up.”
In front of me, Ha-ni was feeding me a handmade sandwich.
“So-hyun. Don’t worry too much. It’s a bit much to say, but once a new incident breaks out, people will forget about this soon enough!”
And Cathy Noona, looking restless, stroked my hair from behind.
…Huh? I don’t think I’m that unhappy.
In fact, I feel quite happy all of a sudden.
But as always, disaster struck the moment my heart began to melt under the comfort of the three of them.
“Guys! Look at the news!”
Lilac came running in a hurry, pointing at his smartphone. Feeling a sense of dread from the pitying look in his eyes, I slowly opened the news tab on my phone.
“…Is this what despair feels like?”
Just as I was trying to recover, I found myself thinking that life truly is a series of unfortunate events.
[Cheonhwa Group: Myth-class dungeon discovered deep under the sea during undersea tunnel construction. Scholars speculating on the dungeon’s identity due to its resemblance to a massive palace.]
[Yuseong Group: Mysterious pillar of light rises during a new experiment in Gyeongju… Is it an experimental failure, or the discovery of a new dungeon?]
When I instinctively looked at Cathy Noona, she was shaking her head as if she hadn’t expected such an incident to break out either.
“Puhuhu…”
Ah, yeah. Sure.
“I was really debating which way to go…”
I guess I’ll have to go to both.
Yeah, honestly, I figured it would be like this. It would be weirder if nothing happened, right?
If these aren’t resolved or if an accident happens, it’ll be a disaster, so it’s better to handle them quickly.
— Hm? Oh?
As I made that decision and prepared to fly off quickly, Sun Wukong began to show a strange reaction.
— Wait, let me see the location of that dungeon in the article. Yeah, the one that popped up while they were making the undersea tunnel and artificial island.
‘Why? Do you know the place?’
— Know it? I know it all too well. Human technology has certainly advanced. To descend to such depths without divine power.
Sun Wukong nodded as if looking at a very familiar place, then continued with a benevolent face.
— At least one of those places can be resolved without a fight. I’m well-acquainted with the master of that place.
…Well-acquainted? No way.
— That place is likely the East Sea Dragon Palace.
…Well, it wasn’t discovered off the coast of Jeju Island but a bit further away, and since Journey to the West is centered around China rather than Korea, anything near Jeju would technically be the ‘East Sea.’
Anyway, let’s set aside that geographical knowledge for a moment.
That wasn’t the problem.
‘What on earth gives you the confidence that we can resolve this without a fight…?’
In the story of Journey to the West, Sun Wukong goes to the Dragon Palace, a place she’s never been, and threatens them for a weapon. Terrified by her thuggish behavior, the Dragon King of the East Sea gives her a weapon.
But then he throws a tantrum, saying all the weapons are unsatisfactory, until he finally extorts the Ruyi Jingu Bang, a treasure of the sea, because its weight finally suits him. Not satisfied with just a weapon, he then demands armor and protection, shaking down the four Dragon Kings of the four seas for one piece of equipment each.
And that wasn’t all. Once the Journey to the West officially began and he traveled with Xuanzang, he treated them like errand boys whenever he needed help.
In what part of that history am I supposed to find peace of mind and a chance for a peaceful resolution?
— Don’t worry. Most of the old grudges have been settled. The Dragon Kings and I are dear friends.
For the record, Sun Wukong calls everyone from the Great Immortals to the lowest-ranking spirits her “friends,” and she once almost got punished for acting too familiar even with the Ancient Gods who had existed since the beginning of time.
…Of course, he threw a tantrum because he didn’t want to be punished and started a war instead.
— I should go see his face after all this time. Is that fellow Ao Guang still the Dragon King?
His attitude was truly like someone going to meet an old friend, but remembering the attitude of the Great Kings in Hell, I had my doubts…
Even in the most optimistic scenario, the only possibility of avoiding a fight would be if they acted like merchants paying protection money to a terrifying gangster.
Am I being too negative?
— Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him and persuade him.
No, I can’t help but worry.
But unfortunately, my worries didn’t end there.
I was debating whether I should resolve the Gyeongju side first instead of Jeju, when my smartphone began to ring.
And the caller was, surprisingly, Ha-ni’s father.
I wondered what was going on, but my body was already answering the phone and responding politely.
“Yes, I’ve picked up. Father. It’s been a while…”
[Who are you calling Father… No, now isn’t the time for pleasantries.]
His voice sounded incredibly urgent, giving me a premonition that something had happened.
[I’m begging you. Don’t go to Gyeongju. I was late with the news, so I’m late in stopping you, but whether it’s for a school trip or to resolve an incident, please try not to go to Gyeongju. No, I’ll handle it, so just wait.]
What on earth was in Gyeongju that would make Kang Ho-in, a man called the best in terms of instantaneous firepower even among S-ranks, tremble like that?
[If, and I mean really, really if, something happens where you absolutely must come here, I beg of you, please stop Ha-ni from coming to Gyeongju.]
…Does it have something to do with Ha-ni?
[Yes, no matter what happens to me, absolutely. Please make sure Ha-ni doesn’t come here.]
“What!? What do you mean by…!?”
Click. The call ended. I tried to call back, but while the signal went through, Ha-ni’s father didn’t pick up.
The Dragon Palace appearing near Jeju, and the pillar of light appearing in Gyeongju.
Sun Wukong, overflowing with groundless confidence, and Kang Ho-in, who hung up after dropping a mysterious bombshell.
“So-hyun, what’s wrong? Was that my father’s voice I heard from the phone?”
…Yeah, I did get to rest comfortably for nearly a month.
It’s about time for things to start going wrong again.
Gyeongju or Jeju.
Sun Wukong or Kang Ho-in.
Listen to the advice and stop Ha-ni, or go together.
It seemed there was almost no time left to hesitate on the choice.